Barcelona are reportedly intent on signing Valencia’s 25-year-old Spanish full-back Jose Gaya in the summer transfer window.
According to a report from Spanish publication AS, La Liga heavyweights Barcelona are strongly interested in making a move for Valencia defender and captain Jose Gaya in the upcoming transfer window.
Gaya, 25, came through the youth ranks at Valencia and was bumped up to the first-team soon after Jordi Alba had made the switch to Barcelona. Since then, the Spaniard has been a regular fixture in defence for Los Che, establishing himself as one of the most reliable performers in his position in La Liga.
Elevated to the status of club captain this season, Gaya, till date, has racked up 252 appearances for Valencia, scoring five goals and setting up 28 more. Despite the team struggling for consistency this term, the left-back has emerged with credit, bagging five assists in 24 league outings.
A regular in the Spain national team squad as well, Gaya has now popped up on the radars of Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window. The Catalans are looking at a potential overhaul in defence with Eric Garcia’s signing almost secured on a free transfer while question marks remain over the futures of Samuel Umtiti and Junior Firpo.
There is a strong chance that the latter could be sold in the summer window, which would leave Barcelona with just Alba as the only natural left-back in the roster. To that end, the Catalan giants are hoping to bring in Gaya as he can cover for his compatriot before going on to take over as the first-choice in a year or two.
Barcelona’s interest in the 25-year-old is been driven by their new sporting director Mateu Alemany, who is also pushing the club to sign another player from Valencia in the form of teenage winger Fabio Blanco, who will be out of contract at the end of the current season.
Gaya is contracted with Valencia till the summer of 2023 and the report goes on to add that he is likely to be an expensive option for Barcelona. It now remains to be seen whether the Blaugrana push ahead with their interest in the 25-year-old this summer or identify alternate targets.
